Follower machine



Sept. 13, 1938. M. TURCHAN FOLLOWER MACHINE Filed July 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l IQYENTOR. flllamzel jan'karz v r/ 7 Zf om Sept. 13, 1938. M. TURCHAN FOLLOWER MACHINE Filed July 20, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Manuel INXENTOR. un'k an P 1938. M. TURCHAN 2,130,109

FOLLOWER MACHINE Filed July 20, 1954 .3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to so called follower or profiling machines; that is, machines for reproducing, usually in metal, the contour of a previously prepared model of any suitable material. In known machines of the sort indicated profiling has been more or less successfully accomplished but except in certain very expensive and complicated types of machines, accuracy of dimensions has been sacrificed to obtain cheapness and simplification.

Among the objects of the present invention therefore is a simple and relatively inexpensive machine capable of reproducing in accurate dimensions the form of the model or pattern.

Another object is a machine of the character indicated which is capable of reproductions of the model (for example, dies) requiring a minimum of finishing work in order to be in satisfactory form for further use.

Another object is a machine of the character indicated which, though substantially automatic, shall be instantaneously subject to the control of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation with parts in section of a machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts in section.

Fig- 3 is a vertical sectional view of the controlling valve on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the valve and support with parts in section and parts omitted for clarity.

Fig. 5 is a detail in section.

As indicated above, the invention involves a machine for reproducing in metal the contours of a prepared model, and the drawings are intended to illustrate a machine set up for the reproduction, as a die, of a molded pattern of a fender of an automobile, the pattern being prepared from plastic material and shaped by hand or in any suitable fashion.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the pattern is indicated at A and the work at B, both secured rigidly to the bed l0 and an extension ll, of the cutting machine, preferably a conventional vertical milling cutter suitably modified. The milling cutter comprises as is usual, a base portion l2 carrying a vertical member I3 within which is housed the working parts operably connected to the driving pulley 4. At the upper end of member I3 is a horizontal portion l5 overhanging bed l0 and 55 supporting the vertical shaft l6 carrying a milling cutter H. The members I3 and I5 house, as is usual, driving means for the cutter l1 and also are provided with means for vertical adjustment of the latter.

The bed ||l is supported in the usual manner upon a so-called knee 20 and means is provided for moving the bed, in suitable slides, in two directions, i. e., right and left and from front to back and reverse, these moving means being provided with feed screws in the conventional manner.

The knee 20 is also vertically movable in its slide 2|, by means of a jack screw 22 operable by a hand wheel 23.

The description so far is of the conventional,

, well-known vertical milling machine. In preparing the machine for reception of the mechanisms by means of which itis used as above indioated, the only change made is to substitute for the nut, usually cooperating with jack screw 22, an internally threaded sleeve 25 slidable vertically in pedestal 26 and having a keyway 21 cooperating with a key 28 to prevent rotation. The sleeve 25 is also flanged at its upper end 29 to limit its downward movement.

The mechanisms for converting the mill machine consist of fluid operated cylinders for actuating the bed supporting knee 20 vertically, fluid supply means for furnishing fluid under pressure to the cylinders, and control means C for regulating the fluid supply to the cylinders.

The cylinders for actuating the knee are shown in the drawings at 40, being fixed upon the base I2, and are provided with pistons 4| having the piston rods 42 extending through the upper heads 43 through suitable glands 44. These rods 42 are shouldered near their upper ends and cooperate with bracket members 45 fixed to the knee 20, to lift the knee when fluid is forced into the cylinders 40 below pistons 4|.

It is preferred to extend the rods 42 some distance above the shoulders to permit, if desired, the addition of sleeves under the brackets 45 to change the relation of the pistons and brackets, and to fix the rods in the brackets by nuts 46 on the upper end of the rods, for a purpose to be explained later.

Leading into the lower ends of cylinders 40 is a fluid supply pipe 50 and leading into the cylinders above pistons 4| is a second fluid supply pipe 5|. Connecting these two pipes is a bypass valve 52, normally maintained closed by a spring 53 but operable to open position by a lever or foot pedal 54. The pipes 50'and 5| are supplied with fluid under pressure from a suitable pump 55 drawing the fluid from a tank 56 and delivering to pipe 50 through the control means C, to be described later, and to pipe 5| through a pressure reducing valve 60. Further, pipe 5I is provided with a pressure controlled outlet valve BI located between valve 60 and cylinders 40 and inside of, or at least discharging into, tank 56. The pump 55 is prefer-- ried at the end of a supporting arm II of suitable length, depending upon the size of work, mounted upon upright member I3 and extending laterally. The outer end of arm I0 is provided with a vertically arranged split sleeve II having means, such as the clamping screw I2, for drawing together the split for the purpose of fixing in adjusted position the parts embraced thereby. These parts consist of a split sleeve I3 fitting within part II and having an inside diameter only slightly larger than the outer diameter of the screw I4 which extends up through it and into the interiorly threaded hand wheel IS, the hub of which rests upon the sleeve. As shown best in Fig. 4, sleeve 13 is flanged at its upper end and on one side as at I6 the flange is sumciently wide and long to allow the formation therein of an arcuate slot TI which, in cooperation with a screw I8 fixed in arm I0, provides for angular adjustment of the sleeve. Further, the sleeve is provided internally with a slot 00 and the screw I4 with a key way 8| by means of which, with a suitable key the screw may be prevented from turning in the sleeve. The lower end of screw 14 is provided with an enlargement forming a horizontally arranged split sleeve tightened or loosened by a screw 86, and held in this is the side arm 81 of the control device C, about to be described.

Referring now to Fig. 3 there is shown in section the control device, carrying a pilot or follower for following the outline of the model or pattern to control the movement af the work under the cutter. This device C comprises a preferably cylindrical shell fitting closely in a ring 9| forming a part of the arm 81. This shell has formed in its inner periphery three channels or canals 92, 93, and 34 having ports 92a, 93a, and 94a which, when the shell 90 and ring 3| are properly relatively located, communicate with three conduits 92b, 03b and 94b extending through arm 81 and connected respectively, through suitable flexible sections to pipe 66, 50 and 95.

Fitting within the shell 90 and slidable longitudinally therein is a valve member I00 having in its outer periphery two grooves IOI and I02 separated by a rib I03 of substantially the width of canal 93. This valve member I00 is open at its bottom but at its up er end is closed and the closure portion provided inside with a small conical projection I04 coaxial with the member.

The upper end of shell 90 is closed by a suitable screw cap I05 having a central threaded opening in which is a screw plug I06, preferably hollow, which cooperates with a spring I01 arranged between it and valve member I00 to provide adjusted spring pressure upon the latter.

The lower end of shell 90 is screw threaded to receive a screw cap IIO having its end dished inwardly to form an inwardly projecting cone III and having a concentric opening H2. The cap is also tapped as at I I3 to provide for connection with a drain pipe 1. Further, in order to provide for collecting any leakage between shell 90 and ring ill, the cap is also provided with a small gutter II4 draining through a small opening IIS to the inside. The cap IIO may be fixed in adjusted position by means of a lock nut H6.

The follower or pilot is shown at I20 and this is carried at the lower end of the valve operating member I2I being flxed thereto in any suitable manner as by threading it into the lower end as at I22 using a lock nut I23 if desired. This member I2I comprises a shaft portion extending up through opening II2 to a point closely adjacent the cone I 04 of valve member I00. At its upper end this shaft portion is flared conically, as at I25, the angle being the same as that of the cone I04. At an intermediate point on the shaft is formed a conical flange I26 having the same angle as cone III. It is preferred to make these several cones and flanges with the same angle though a small difference between the angle of cone I04 and cone III will not be a serious objection. Further, while an angle of 45has been found satisfactory, a somewhat smaller or larger angle may be used.

It will be noted that the upper and lower cones are arranged opposite to each other and in order to lessen friction antifriction bearings I21 and I28 are used between the mated conical elements. These bearings comprise balls spaced by cages I29 and I30, respectively, which limits the movement of the balls in only one radial direction, being slotted as at I3I and I32, respectively, to permit the upper ones to move radially outward and the lower ones to move radially inward.

In assembling the control C, the cap H0 is adjusted so that, when pilot I20 is not in contact with anything, valve member I00 is at a position in which the rib I03 will permit communication between grooves 93 and 92, the size of the opening determining the rapidity of action of the cylinders 40.

In preparation for the operation of the machine, a suitable pattern is of course provided and a work blank roughly shaped to reduce the amount of cutting is also prepared. These, indicated A and B respectively, are fixed in position upon the bed I0 and extension II in substantial alignment and with corresponding points spaced at a distance equal to the distance between the centers of the pilot I20 and the cutter I'I. These two elements should be generally the same shape and their size should be the same with the quailflcation below noted. It is not intended by this statement to mean that the pilot should have cutting teeth. It is preferably smooth with its surfaces of areas corresponding to the planes generated by the'outermost portions of the cutter when the latter is rotated. As for the size of the pilot to be used, this is determined by whether the reproduction is to be of the same dimensions as those of the pattern or model. If the pilot is of the exact size of the cutter, the reproduction will be as much smaller than the model as the amount of pilot movement necessary to actuate the valve. This amount will depend upon the valve adjustment and upon the angle of the cones and is of the order of flve to fifteen thousandths of an inch. If the pilot is larger by more than this compensating amount, the reproduction will be as much larger than the model. If it is smaller, the work will be smaller.

a Y r- 2,130,109

In setting. up the pattern and blank, if the size of these requires changing the distance between centers of pilot and cutter, the pilot may be" moved toward or away from the cutter by the means shown in Figures 2 and 4. By loosening screws 18 and 86 the arm 81 may be swung about" the center of screw 14 and moved lengthwise so as to adjust the position of control C along the center line of bed 10 a number of inches either way from the position shown in Figure 1 in which arm 81 is at right angles to the supporting arm- 10. -The vertical adjustment of control C is accomplished by screw ll and wheel 15 and should be.

such as to arrange the pilot and cutter at the same level or at such'a different level ,aswill 7 correspond to their diflerence in dimension. The vertical adjustment of the bed It andthe pieces A and B is accomplished initially by the use of the hand wheel 23 and shouldbe such-that the cutter will just pass over the highest point, of the blank. I

With the pump 55 operating, pressureis de-' veloped in pipe 66 and, with the control valve I00 adjusted'as above described, fluid will flowinjto" cylinders 40 to raise the bed i0. -I'his will 0011'? ,tinue until the pilot it'll-contacts the'pat'tern. When pressure is exerted on. the pilot directly vertical, the valve I 00 is of course moved upwardly to shut off communication between pas-1 sages 92 and 93 and open' it between passages 93 and 94. This immediately stops the ilow'into the cylinders 40 and allowsoutflow therefrom through pipe 95 to the tank 56. I'hesame action occurs if the pressure onpilotllll k'applied laterally in any direction, asthe clearance between the pilot shaft and the edge ,of opening-I i2 is suflicient to allow a small lateral movement of the shaft and,.of course, anysuch action will' result'in an upward movement of the shaft be 3 cause of the cones Ill and I26 and coneslfll and I; I e

In those cases where the' pilo t engages a very steep upward slope, there-mayibeenou'gh drag downwardt'o center the lower cone'sn' The lateral 7 pressure, however, will cause the valve [00 to bef lifted by the action of the upDerrcones, the-,s,tem.

swinging about the lower cones'as lasiulcr'um.

The feed of the work to, the cutter may: be automatic or by hand using the feed means commonly provided on milling cutters of the type indicated. Further, if at any time the operator desires to slow the'rate of upward movement .of the bed ill, he may do so by meansof the bypass valve- 52, which, when'opened, allows more or less of an equalization of pressurein pipes ii and 5| leading to the cylinders 40 below and above thepistons 4i.

'While there has been shown, means for sup-:

plying -fluid under lower pressure to 'the upper side of pistons ll, and'while this arrangement is considered desirable as it produces" ai more prompt response when the pilot'indicates down.

ward movement of the lthis is not essential and maybe dispensedwith, allowing gravity to cause tliedownward movement. Y

Now havingfdescribed the invention the scope of the claims which, m1ow=;; WhatIclaimistf s i 1. In a proflling machine, 'a' pilot, agstem or shaft to which said. pilotpislflxed, a shell finto a which said stemex-tends, the opening through a I m which said stem extends'being sufficiently large j to permit lateral movement of the stem, avalve -18 tosaid stem, means connected to said stem to cause the latter to move longitudinally when dis placed from a 'rest position and thereby move said valve, andfiuid conduits controlled bysaid member within said shelland operahly connected valve. 7 r 1 '2. vIn a proflling machine having a pilot and fluid operated means for movingthe work in response to movements of the pilot, fluid control means including a valvedevice connected-to the pilot, saidval-ve devicecomprising a cylindrical and the preferred embodiment thereof, it isto be under-j stood that saidinvention is to he limited, not to the speciflcdetailsjherein set-forth,'but only'by shell, fluid conduits leading thereinto, a valve member in said shell and movable longitudinally 1 therein to control fluid flow throughsaidhcon-Y duits, an axially located; stem extending from said valve member to the exterior of the shell and carrying the pilot, .said stem having a c'oni cal flange inwardly adjacent the point [where ,it leaves theshell, a mating conical flange on said shell around theopening through which the stem extends, {said :flan'ges'directed inwardly of the 'shell andlimltingthe outward movement of the stem, and said shell flange being of such width as to permit lateral-movement of 'the stem, a'

socketfat the inner end ofsaid stem and a pro-, jectioncn said valve-cooperatingwith said socket. 3; In a profiling machinehaving a pilot and pilot, said valve device comprising a cylindrical shell, fluid -.conduits leading thereinto, a valve member in said shell ,andmovable longitudinally therein to control. fluid how I through said con- "d'uits, an axially located stem; 'extending from said valve member, toftlie exterior .of the i shell fluidoperated means, for moving the work in Y response to movements of the pilot, fluid controlmeans including. valvedevice connected to the I and carrying; thelpilotp said'st'em-having a coni-';

conical socket at the inner we conical projectionon saidvalve opposed faces of the conicalielements cal flange inwardlyadjacentj therpoint ;where it leaves the shell, a mating. eo meal flange on said 1 shell around thefopening thi'ough which the stem extends, said flanges directed, inwardly of the shell and-limiting the outward movement of the: stem, andsaid shellfflange being ,of -Qsuch; width asjto permit lateral moveni iof'ithe. stem, 9.

,Isaidjstem, a,"

I perating with i said socket, and antifrietionfmeans between'zthe 

